Chalet Wood, Wanstead Park, London
19 April 2026
We should get the awkward, some could argue, controversial, bit out of the way nice and early. Bluebells are not really blue, at least not a proper blue like the sky has been over the last few days, their hue tends more towards violet. This is especially so when there are thousands of them all packed side by side in a lush springtime woodland. However, violet bells just doesn’t sound quite right.
Bluebells are an English annual joy, blooming for about a month in early spring, typically late March to mid-April with the best blooms around the third week. They predominately grow in what remains of ancient English woodlands and take a few years to gestate from seed to full plant. There are very few places to see them in or near London and we’re very lucky to have one of those places so close to home.
The 40 minute walk from home to Chalet Wood on the northern edge of Wanstead Park has become a bit of an annual ritual, at least it is when are in the country at this time of year. Last year we managed to sneak in a quick visit just as the ‘blue’ bells were turning a few days after we returned from our New Zealand, Australia and Delhi/Tokyo travels.
With typical Phil-like impatience we left home earlier than we planned and consequently arrived at the bluebell glade late afternoon rather than early evening and there were still quite a few people enjoying the blooms. We’d seen a lot of people leaving as we arrived so we definitely missed the peak numbers. It is a very popular place, especially for those with young (or old) families. I’m getting better and allowing strangers to appear in my images.
As expected, a beautiful view greeted us as a we walked along the short dusty path through the trees that were also bursting with that bright green spring growth, adding a nice contrast to the violet-blue of the mature bluebells.
I will let the images do the talking now!
Chalet Wood is about an hour from London’s Liverpool St station on the Underground’s Central Line; 20 minutes on the tube to Leytonstone (40 minute walk) or five minutes further to Wanstead (30 minute walk).
Where is Phil now? 